Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Killeen, TX
🏆 Fort Lauderdale leads 10 of 19 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
Killeen
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,086
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High
Population
153,708
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.5 pts lower (5.4%)
Households earn $18,290 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 60°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Killeen
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Killeen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $242k less ($175,400 vs $417,600)
Rent averages $543/mo less ($1,084 vs $1,627)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.8)
Smaller class sizes — 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (527.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $18,290/yr
Higher unemployment (10.9% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$18,290
$75,376 vs $57,086/yr
Fort Lauderdale
Unemployment
5.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 10.9% unemployment
Killeen
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 91.8 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Killeen
Median Home Value
$242k less
$175,400 vs $417,600
Killeen
Summer Heat
5.2°F warmer
July avg high 95.7°F vs 90.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Killeen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 91.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $175,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,084 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 ✓ Higher | $57,086 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 66 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 15.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 22.1% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 91.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | KILLEEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 59.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 95.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 36.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 153,708 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 29.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 46.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 29.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 7.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Killeen's 91.8 (US average = 100).
Killeen is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Fort Lauderdale leads 10 of 19 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 10 and Killeen wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Fort Lauderdale to Killeen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $175,400 median home), income ($75,376 vs $57,086), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Killeen, TX are about 1,118 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.